Our weekly Critic’s Picks are a fully curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. Of course this is not to say we are the provocateurs of taste, but simply seek to provide a good weekly summary. For a look at the full breadth of what’s available in and around Toronto, check out the comprehensive concert listings from our friends at Wholenote Magazine.
Tuesday 21
Canadian Opera Company Chamber Music Series with Vincent Boilard, oboe; Olivier Hébert-Bouchard, piano at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Noon. Free!
The COC presents chamber music series: Falling for the Oboe. The free show offers a rare opportunity to hear an intimate concert of works for oboe and piano. It includes Bach, Poulenc and others. Details here.
Wednesday 22
Toronto Symphony Orchestra with Nicola Benedetti (violin), Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, & conductor Stéphane Denève at Roy Thomson Hall, 8:00 pm. $33-145
The great Scottish violinist, Nicola Benedetti, will be performing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in a program including Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave, Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No.1 and Prokofiev’s Suite from Romeo and Juliet. The concert will open with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra performing side-by-side with the Orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s moving Marche Slave. Sounds like a great show. Details here.
Concert repeats October 23 (mat.). There will be a pre-concert chat at 7:15 p.m.
Thursday 23
Canadian Opera Company Vocal Series with mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal, bass-baritone Robert Gleadow, and pianist Sandra Horst at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Noon. Free!
The COC present cast members from the current production of Falstaff to perform,“An Afternoon of Song”. Woks include Dvořák’s Gypsy Songs, de Falla’s Siete canciones populares Españolas, Ibert’s Chansons de Don Quichotte and Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel. Make sure to come early as seats full up very quickly. Details here.
Opera Atelier, Handel’s Alcina at Elgin Theatre, 7:30 pm. $38-181
It’s been the talk of the town for months, and with a cast featuring Meghan Lindsay, Mireille Asselin, Wallis Giunta, Allyson McHardy, Olivier Laquerre, Krešimir Špicer and Marshall Pynkoski, Opera Atelier’s Canadian premiere production of Handel’s Alcina is a do-not-miss event. Also features Tafelmusik and David Fallis, conducting. Runs October 23, 25, 26, 28, 31, November 1 (mat). Run, don’t walk. Details here.
For a special behind the scenes video see here.
Music Toronto presents the Belcea Quartet at Jane Mallett Theatre, 8:00 pm. $10-55
The Belcea Quartet are in town tonight for just one evening, to present a sturdy program of Beethoven’s Quartet in D, Op.18, No.3; Brahms’ Quartet in c, Op.51, No.1 and Schubert’s Quartet in a, Op.29, No.1, “Rosamunde” D.804. Details here.
Friday 24
I FURIOSI Baroque Ensemble at the Calvin Presbyterian Church. 8:00 pm. $10-20
Tafelmusik alumni, I FURIOSI, launch their season tonight with a program titled “Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho (it’s off to work we go)”. Also features guest organist Stephanie Martin. Should be a fun show. (very few) Details here.
Soprano Suzie LeBlanc and countertenor Daniel Taylor at the Trinity College Chapel. 7:30 pm. $10-20
Suzie LeBlanc (who’s CD we just reviewed last week) and countertenor Daniel Taylor, are in town tonight to give a joint recital of Duets by Handel, Monterverdi and Manelli. The show includes early music violinist Adrian Butterfield, and narrator John Leberg. Presented by the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, this concert is a fundraising event for the Early Music/Historical Performance Area. Highly recommenced. Details here.
Saturday 25
Royal Conservatory Season Gala Concert: Sir James Galway and Lady Jeanne Galway at Koerner Hall 8:00 pm. $60-145
RCM present their Season Gala Concert tonight with the legendary flautists, Sir James Galway. “The man with the golden flute,” will be joining his wife, Lady Jeanne Galway, in a concert including works by Henry Mancini, Claude Debussy, Franz and Karl Doppler, Hamilton Harty, Marin Marais, and more. To read a recent Q&A with Sir James, see here. Details and tickets here.
Sinfonia Toronto with Irmina Trynkos, violin; Nurhan Arman, conductor at George Weston Recital Hall 8:00 pm. $19-49
Come have Sinfonia cajole your ears tonight with Borenstein’s Poem for Violin and Orchestra (North American Premiere); Waghalter’s Notturno Op.4 for Violin and Orchestra (North American Premiere); Sarasate’s Gypsy Airs (Zigeunerweisen) (arr. Arman); Tchaikovsky’s Sinfonia in e-flat Op.30 (String Quartet No.3 arr. Arman). Info here.
Toronto International Piano Competition at the P.C. Ho Theatre, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. 1:00 p.m. $10
Closing out the week, the Toronto International Piano Competition starts the first round of competition this afternoon. The competition runs from October 24 to November 1st and takes place at the P.C. Ho Theatre and Koerner Hall. Details here. Continues through Sunday, October 26.
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